Concern as kidney medicine in short supply
Dar es Salaam. Patients who have undergone kidney transplant surgery have to endure frequent visits to Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) to access vital medicines currently in short supply.
The patients are put under medication, often for a lifetime to prevent kidney rejection. Therapy begins at the time of transplant using initiation therapy.
Every after two weeks, Ms Prisca Mwingira, a school teacher in Morogoro town must travel to Dar es Salaam to receive medicines known as Tacrolimus—a drug that prevents her body from rejecting a kidney she received surgically from a donor two years ago.
“In the past, I used to travel once a month up to three months to Dar es Salaam, not these days,’’ says Ms Mwingira, the first patient in Tanzania to undergo kidney transplant surgery locally at MNH.
She is not alone. Another patient Pegi Lunyili, who underwent a transplant surgery five years ago in India, says the frequent visits to the national hospital are affecting her work schedules and poses another financial challenge.
“This has been a problem in the last three months. It is tough for me especially when I have to seek permission from work frequently. I have to leave most other duties to seek medication. But I believe this can be resolved,’’ says Ms Lunyili.
A patient who did not want his name revealed, said that he decided to mobilise other patients and they confronted the hospital’s management, seeking to know why the drug is not readily available as it used to be.
“I was told by the director that the problem would be resolved but until now, we are still facing troubles coming to the facility, time and again,’’ said the man who resides in Bagamoyo District, Coast.
Upon being contacted for comment, MNH spokesman said the problem with access to the drugs began around September this year and said they were working to resolve the matter.
“We had a batch of drugs from July to September, but recently we have had a challenge with the supplies. That’s why we have resorted to giving the patients smaller doses that last for two to three days or up to a week or two. I agree it’s a problem for patients who have to travel long distances,” says Mr Aminiel Algaesha, MNH’s Customer Relations personnel.
“We are spending sleepless nights to ensure the problem is resolved,’’ he told The Citizen, but he declined to delve into the details of the exact procurement challenges that are surrounding the availability of the drug.
